Paradise Lost

Revealed: BUAV’s groundbreaking investigation of the international trade in wild-caught primates for the research industry.

The demand from the research industry for a continuous supply of primates has led to the trade in wild caught and captive bred animals around the world. In 1991, the BUAV embarked on a daring and often dangerous investigation to follow the chain of supply from the tropical forests of Asia and lush undergrowth of Mauritius and the Caribbean to the bare metal cages of the research laboratory. An undercover worker was placed at Shamrock, a UK primate holding facility, and Hazleton, a UK contract testing laboratory, while other BUAV investigators travelled to the main exporting countries to infiltrate the trapping network.

What emerged was a shocking and disturbing exposé of pain, suffering and death on a massive scale. Evidence never before captured on film, revealed the brutality and cruelty inflicted on monkeys during their capture, caging and transportation.

Shocking Findings

High mortality rates of monkeys trapped in the wild. As many as 8 out of every 10 monkeys captured died before reaching the laboratory

Cruelty inflicted during the trapping process including one macaque picked up by the tail and smashed against a rock in Mauritius

Suffering and losses inflicted on monkeys travelling as cargo on passenger airlines to destinations around the world

Primates kept in inadequate conditions at Shamrock resulting in abnormal behaviour including circling, rocking and self-mutilation

Primates' suffering and distress increased by the general attitude and behaviour of staff at Shamrock, who denied the animals the care and dignity they deserved

Rough handling by Shamrock staff. Primates captured by nets and hauled to the ground, causing distress and injury, including cuts, bruises and even loss of teeth

Shocking experiments at Hazleton that involved primates held in restraint chairs whilst forced to inhale toxic substances via a mask secured to their head. The monkeys would often scream and struggle while placed in these chairs

At Hazleton, monkeys were slapped about the body by staff, shaken and prodded whilst restrained. One monkey was called 'Rape' because she screamed frequently